Scott 16	Scott 16A	Scott 16B	Scott 16,16A,16B
Second Printing	First Printing	Third Printing	All Three Printings
This is 16	Go to 16A Page	Go to 16B Page	Go to Main 16 Page
Gushikawa Forgeries of 1953 Forgeries Discovered in 1973

8 Point Setting -  Smaller Type Font
A1 - The bottom gap in the backward five is relatively closed (Kai).
A2 - The diagonal downstroke in the adjoining character enters
      the bottom gap in the backward five ()(Kai).
A3 - The top (horizontal) stroke of the backward five has a level to slighlty downward bias.
B -  The "J" type stroke is smaller and has a very small bump (almost flat)
      at the end of the upper horizontal stroke (Tei).

9 Point - Larger Type Font
A1 - The bottom gap in the backward five is relatively open (Kai).
A2 - The diagonal downstroke in the adjoining character stops short of
      entering the bottom gap in the backward five ()(Kai).
A3 - The top (horizontal) stroke of the backward five has a level to slighlty upward bias (Kai).
B -  The "J" type stroke is larger and has a large bump at the end of
      the upper horizontal stroke (Tei).

Measurements of Genuine and Forged Overprints.

Click below to see a complete sheet of scott 16

Varieties
Various Surcharge Variations in Scott 16 (2nd Printing).

        8/8 Type
                RPSS 16A - Type IIA
                JSCA 16Bb


        9/8 Type
                RPSS 16b - Type IIB
                JSCA 16Bc


        9/9 Type
                RPSS 16  - Type IIC
                JSCA 16Ba


Pairs
                 9/9                 &                 8/8
                                  RPSS 16c



                 8/8                 &                 9/9
                                  RPSS 16d



Strip/3
                 9/9                 &                 9/8                 &            8/8
                                                     RPSS 16e


Plate Specific Variations in Scott 16 (2nd Printing).


Position                Variation

3-4                     Pair, left stamp 9 point, right stamp 8 point
43-4                     This type pair occures only twice in a sheet

7-8 row                 Pair, left stamp 8 point, right stamp 9 point
                         This type of pair occures ten times in a sheet
                         all pairs in 7-8 row (ie 7-8: 17-18; 27-28 etc)


8-9 Margin Above        Higa Han (Chop) in top margin, generally
                         found between postions 8-9




10                      Break in top of "0" - Not constant, sometimes "0" is thin



11,12,13                Bottom bars close to thick heavy bar as in 16A, as you
                         progress to the right the spacing from the thick bar
                         increases, perhaps not a constant variety




20                      Break in horizontal stroke of "Tei"




26,85                   Diagonal stroke at top left in right
                         character in "Kai" mostly missing




28                      Bottom line on "Yen" character broken or partially
                         missing (at right), perhaps not constant variety



44                      Bars (vertical top thin bar to bottom thin
                         bar) measure 4.5mm versus normal 4.2mm



51,91                   Thick middle bar is rounded at the left rather 
                         than pointed




58                      Bottom thin bar ca .5mm shorter at
                         right than the upper thicker bar




59                      Dropped thin "0"



59 & 69                 Pos 59 & 69 in margin block/4



69                      Wrong font (small 8 font) "Yen" character




75                      Top horizontal stroke in left
                        character of "Kai" broken.
                        See 95 also




76                      White Sky in basic stamp

White Sky (stamp in middle of block)


76                      White Sky in basic stamp, large bottom
                        bar breaking up




85                       Diagonal stroke at top left in right
                         character in "Kai" mostly missing.
                         Also see Pos 26.




94                      Left 1/4th of top thin bar broken
                        or missing




95                      Top horizontal stroke in left
                        character of "Kai" broken weak/thin
                        or broken.  Joining vertical stroke
                        often broken also.  See 75 also.




Kai Tei                 Variations
8p/9p                   Pair with left stamp 8p and right stamp 9p -
                        ten (10) horizontal pairs per sheet



9p/8p                   Pair with left stamp 9p and right stamp 8p -
                        only two (2) horizontal pairs per sheet



9p/9-8p/8p              Strip of three with left stamp 9p, middle stamp
                        mixed font with 9p left and 8p right, right stamp
                        8p - eight (8) horizontal strips of three per sheet



Miscellaneous                    
Inscription Block 6     Lower right block of six with inscription



Higa Block - Red Seal - upper right block of six with Higa seal 
                        (pos 8-10, 18-20), vermilion or red ink


Higa Block - Vermilion Seal - upper right block of six with Higa seal 
                        (pos 8-10, 18-20), vermilion or red ink


Higa Seals (Vermilion & Red)


Higa seal blocks are normally collected in blocks of 6, 8 or 10.
Scott lists and prices an "imprint block of of 4."


Various downward shifts of the overprint that move the bars off
the stamp and place them at the top of the next one.

General Comments Quantity Printed: 16 200,000 16A 200,000 16B 40,000 440,000 Total Gum on 16 Series Stamps. Don't expect to find 16 series stamps with nice clean shinny gum. While they certainly can be found in that condition, it is not the norm. The norm for this series is a dry flat appearing gum. In some cases the gum has browned slightly. Pencil Plate Position Annotations on the gum side of 16 series stamps. A common practice of dealers who broke up sheets of the 16 series was to make light pencil annotations of the sheet positions on the stamps. In my opinion, this adds to the value of the item rather than detracts. It ensures that you can quickly and accurately plate the stamp(s). Below is an illustration of the back of a 16 series stamp which shows the dry flat gum and dealer's pencil annotation of position.   Forgeries. By the term forgery, I am referring to a stamp that was made with the intent to defraud the postal service of revenue. They are manufactured and used without paying the postal service. There are well documented forgeries of the 10 yen Kai Tei overprint. Two such forgeries are called the Gushikawa forgeries. These are discussed in From the Dragon's Den, Volume 15:2, (Whole No. 49) April, 1983. The overprints appear different than the genuine 16, 16A, 16b and they can easily be confirmed as forgeries if they have part of Gushikawa cancel (1953) as show below. Forgeries are in demand. Most collectors do not have them. Consider yourself fortunate if you have a 16 series forgery in your collection. Two types of the Gushikawa forgery have been recorded (See FTDD 15:2). Type a. The first type has the large middle bar (pointed on both ends) with a pair of bars (thick and thin) above and below the center bar. In this respect the stamp is similar to the genuine 16s with a total of 5 bars at the bottom of the overprint. The balance of the overprint appears to have been applied separately and at times the "10" rests on the upper thin bar. The "0" in "10" is usually shorter than the "1". Type b. This overprint has only one thick bar above and below the large middle bar for a total of 3 bars at the bottom of the overprint. As in the type a forgery, the "0" in "10" is usually shorter than the "1". Dates of Use. Below are the earliest and latest date uses I have personally confirmed of both types of forged stamps. Type a. Earliest: 52.11.26 - Latest: 53.2.18 Type b. Earliest: 53.2.16 - Latest: 53.11.3 The forgeries (to defraud the Postal Agency) are listed and valued in a footnote in the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps & Covers at the conclusion of the listing of stamps in the 16 series. The footnote advises of the two types of forgeries. Perhaps because it is so obvious, the type b forgery is the one that I see the most.

(Gushikawa) Type a. Gushikawa Forgery Another Type a. Gushikawa Forgery Type b. Gushikawa Forgery Gushikawa Forgery - Types a & b Counterfeits. By the term counterfeit, I am referring to a stamp that was made to defraud stamp collectors. Unfortunately, counterfeits of the 16 series also exist. This is a very specialized area. The counterfeits are also discussed in the previously cited article (FTDD 15:2). My advice would be to acquire copies of all three printing that you are confident are genuine. Carefully, compare these with others and if they don't match - be cautious. Sun Philatelic Auctions Number Ninety Four, which closed July 26, 1998, offered a very extensive collection of 16 series stamps. There was one lot of 81 counterfeits. It had an estimated cash value of $2,500.00. Covers. Any of the 16 series stamps on cover is an excellent item. I have a steady demand for this series on cover. If you have them to sell, please contact me.

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